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A spiritual comment and prayer to start the day with Rachel Gardner, director of a charity which specialises in innovative youth work.

Good morning.

A few things have made me shed tears this week; the news of the monsoon rains in India and the difficult situation in Kashmir, a phone call from a friend who’s going through a hard time and a young person at a Christian youth festival telling me they’re beyond ever being loved.

All different situations, but all cry-worthy.

A survey of UK teens found that a quarter of young people said they have suicidal thoughts and feelings due to the way they feel about their bodies. Bombarded by relentless images of unattainable perfection our young people are growing up in a climate of unparalleled pressure to conform to consumerism. We know this leads to an emotionally and mentally painful existence as many fear they’ll never be ‘enough’.

The actor Andrew Garfield who stars in Martin Scorsese’s film ‘Silence’ speaks for so many of the younger generations when he says, ‘I feel like I’ve been gifted and cursed with a closeness to some grief...the grief of living in a time and a place where a life of joy and love is impossible.’

Young people not knowing if a life of joy and love is possible, or convinced that they’re not enough, is a deep tragedy and a terrible lie.

Thank you God that because of Jesus a life of love and joy is possible. As the youth across this nation wake today, may they know they are deeply loved by you, and may they find the courage to face their fears and challenge the lies as they live their one, God-given life.

Amen.

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